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What To Do If You Suffer A Shoulder Injury

A shoulder injury can occur in people of all backgrounds and gender. The
most common shoulder injuries include, dislocation, rotator cuff tear,
fracture and separation. Unless it is a dramatic injury, the first thing
a person should do after a shoulder injury is to treat it with RICE.

The definition of RICE:

Treatment of a specific shoulder injury after following the above first
steps are as follows:

Dislocation is a common injury common in active people. A doctor will push
the ball of the upper arm back into the shoulder socket. Post-care treatment
may include rest, ice, wearing a sling to stabilize the shoulder and certain
exercises to prevent further injury, improve shoulder range motion and
strengthen shoulder and surrounding muscles. Surgery may be needed if
the dislocation is so severe that it damages nerves and tissue around
the shoulder.

Rotator cuff tears can occur from a fall or repeated motions while working
or playing a sport. Depending on the severity of the tear and overall
health of the individual, the most common treatments for this injury include:
– Medication
– Rest
– Heat compression
– Electrical stimulation to the nerves and muscles
– Cortisone injections
– Ultrasound
– Exercises

Surgery may be needed if a rotator cuff injury does not respond to any
of these treatments.

Fractures are typically caused by a blow to the shoulder or from a fall.
Fracture treatment includes re-positioning the bones so that it can heal
correctly, placing the shoulder in a sling and physical therapy exercises.
Surgery is used only as a last resort for severe fractures.

A separated shoulder can be caused by falling or a blow to the shoulder.
Typical treatment for a separated shoulder include the aforementioned
RICE treatment along with a sling to steady the shoulder and exercise
after the shoulder has healed. Surgery may be used for a severe separation.